An easy rice and beans makes this Burrito Bowl a weekday win! Dish uses mostly pantry items and can be entirely or partly made ahead. As is, the bowls are Gluten-free and Vegan, but you can easily add cheese or grilled chicken.
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New! I added a cooking video to this page so you could see how simple it is to prepare this gluten-free Sweet Potato + Black Bean Burrito Bowl.
As with all our recipes, there is a printable recipe with exact measurements and directions at the bottom of this page.
It’s perfect for these colder days!
Enjoy!
Original post...
This dish has been on repeat in our house!
We are all loving the Rice and Beans and the rest is completely adaptable to all the various tastes in our house. My husband loves his as a burrito, the boys love theirs with chicken. I love it like this!
It is based on our Sweet Potato + Black Bean Enchildas, but keeping the “parts” separate make it so much easier to adapt to tastes and mood.
The bowls take about 45 minutes beginning to end — that includes all the chopping, roasting and sauteing.
But… it can be partially or fully prepped ahead and heated up— which is what works best for us, especially on weekdays when everyone’s schedules are busy.
The bowl is made with real, whole foods ingredients and it comes together really quickly.
All you need is:
Sweet potatoes
Onion
Jalapeno
Black Beans
Brown rice (any rice will do but we like to switch it up sometimes and usually make this dish with brown rice)
Salsa
Enchilada Sauce (easy recipe below)
Optional: serve with gluten-free tortillas, cheese, grilled chicken, avocado
The rice and beans is simply, cooked brown rice and canned black beans quickly sauteed with onions, jalapeno (don’t be scared — they are de-seeded and not spicy at all!) and salsa.
For us personally, these are ingredients we always have in the house.
And we love using the already cooked brown rice because we almost always have some cooked rice in the refrigerator.
Once all sauteed together, this dish stays well and can be quickly reheated.
Alternatively, I’ve also had the the enchiladas sauce made, sweet potatoes roasted and everything ready to go with the rice and beans (onion and jalapeno chopped, rice cooked) and then made the rice and beans when you are ready to eat.
Basically, there are lots of ways to prepare this dish ahead of time so that you have a yummy dinner!
Paired with spiced and roasted sweet potatoes, which can also be made ahead and avocado, it is a totally satisfying meal.
More on the enchilada sauce… recipe adapted from Cookie + Kate, it is a simple recipe with lots of yummy spices and it comes together quickly.
You could always use a store bought sauce but we think this is definitely worth the 10 minutes to make it!
All you need is:
gluten-free all purpose flour
olive oil
vegetable broth
tomato paste
apple cider vinegar
and lots of yummy spices including chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt and cinnamon.
It adds the yummiest flavor when drizzled on the rice and beans.
If you have extra enchiladas sauce it can be used to make Spiced Chickpea + Kale Slaw Tacos or even turn the chickpea tacos into a big salad.
An easy and delicious Rice and Beans makes this Burrito Bowl a weekday win! It's simply cooked rice and beans sauteed with onion, jalapeno and salsa, topped with an enchildas sauce and served with roasted and spiced sweet potatoes, avocado and a gluten-free tortilla (Optional) While the bowl is gluten-free and vegan, it is totally adaptable to tastes -- add some cheese or even grilled chicken. Can be entirely prepped ahead and heated up at meal time.
4cupssweet potatoescubed into 1 inch cubes (2 small-to-medium sweet potatoes)
1-2tablespoonsolive oilavocado oil or neutral oil of choice
½teaspoonground cumin
½teaspoonchili powder
¼teaspoonsaltmore to taste
Easy Rice and Beans
2tablespoonolive oilavocado oil or neutral oil of choice, divided
1cupyellow oniondiced
1 5ozcan black beansrinsed and drained
2cupscooked and warm brown rice
1cupalready prepared salsa
2tablespoonsjalapeñoseeded and finely chopped
squeeze of fresh lime juiceoptional
Enchilada Sauce (recipe adapted from Cookie and Kate, yields 2 cups sauce, save extra for another meal or feel free to cut in half)
3tablespoonsolive oil
3tablespoonsgluten-free all-purpose flour
2teaspoonsground chili powder
1teaspooncumin
½teaspoongarlic powder
¼teaspoondried oregano
¼teaspoonsalt
⅛teaspoonground cinnamon
2tablespoonsgluten-free plain tomato paste
2cupsgluten-free vegetable broth
1teaspoonapple cider vinegar
Black pepperto taste
For the Bowl
gluten-free tortilla of choice
chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Avocado
Instructions
If you haven't already cooked your brown rice, do so in whatever method you prefer. Lately, we have been using an multi-pot which takes about 10 minutes.
Roasted & Spiced Sweet Potatoes
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place sweet potatoes in a large bowl, add olive oil to very lightly coat (about 1 tablespoon), cumin, chili powder and salt. Toss to combine.
Place sweet potatoes in a single layer on baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, or until tender and edges getting crispy. Set aside.
Easy Rice and Bean
While the sweet potatoes roast, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.
Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
Add jalapeño and saute 1-2 minutes.
Add cooked rice, black beans and salsa. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat for about 7-10 minutes until well heated. (NOTE: Depending on how thick or thin the salsa is, feel free to add a bit more salsa while stirring and heating the mixture). Remove from heat.
Optional: Give is a squeeze of lime juice if desired-- I have done this from time to time for a little tang.
Enchilada Red Sauce
Measure the flour and spices into a small bowl and place your tomato paste near the stove.
In a medium-sized pot over medium heat, warm the oil until shimmering (it should be warm enough that the spices sizzle on contact).
Pour in the flour and spice mixture. While stirring constantly with a whisk, cook until fragrant and slightly deepened in color, about 1 minute.
Whisk the tomato paste into the mixture, then slowly pour in the broth while whisking constantly to remove any lumps.
Low heat to a simmer, whisking often, for about five minutes, until the sauce has thickened a bit and a spoon encounters some resistance as you stir it. (The sauce will further thicken as it cools.)
Remove from heat, then whisk in the vinegar and season to taste with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
You may not need all the sauce but it keeps well in the refrigerator for several days and works great with chickpeas (see Spiced Chickpea Tacos).
Assemble
In each bowl, or on each plate, add roasted sweet potatoes, a large scoop or two of rice and beans, 1/2 an avocado and a gluten-free tortilla if using. Serve enchiladas sauce on the side or drizzle over rice and beans. Serve and enjoy!
4 thoughts on “Sweet Potato + Black Bean Burrito Bowl”
I really loved this burrito bowl dish! I used salsa verde with my rice and halved the enchilada recipe. It worked out perfectly. I added a few tortilla chips, avocado, and dinner was served!
Hi! My name is Karen, and I’m the mom in our Healthy Gluten-Free Family. My posts and pictures here and on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter are labors of love that allow me to share a very personal journey with you, one our family has taken together — learning, experimenting and sharing how to raise a healthy happy gluten-free family. Read more ...
I really loved this burrito bowl dish! I used salsa verde with my rice and halved the enchilada recipe. It worked out perfectly. I added a few tortilla chips, avocado, and dinner was served!
Thank you! Love your adaptations!
My daughter just told me she’s wanting to do more plant based foods and has actually had this meal for the last 2 days.
Love it! Happy she’s enjoying it!